Funky DL – The 4th Quarter (CD) (2007) (FLAC + 320 kbps)

Because he’s never achieved any crossover hit singles, and because he’s avoided any lyrical spats with any of his peers – or any other headline-grabbing behaviour for that matter – it’s easy to forget just what a mainstay of the domestic hip hop scene Hackney’s Funky DL has been. From releasing his first album in 1997 at the age of only 19, he went on to establish his own Washington Classics imprint after a fall-out with his original label, and has put out nine more albums since, showing remarkable consistency.

While ‘The Fourth Quarter’ is instantly recognisable as being the latest instalment in the DL canon, and draws on the same jazz-infused elements that have given him his distinctive sound, this sounds less like the cosy night in at Nat ‘King’ Cole’s place with a warm mug of cocoa and a pair of comfy slippers that the previous outings have suggested. It’s marketed as a ‘concept’ album, the 12 songs divided into four themed quartets, representing ‘soul, ‘new age’, ‘jazz’ and ‘authentic’ respectively, and there’s a refreshing diversity on offer, jiggly bouncers like ‘Nicole’ and ‘The Bump’ rubbing shoulders with more formulaic outings like ‘Watchin’ The World’ and ‘Taking Rap Back.

Tracklist:

01. The Soul Quarter Intro
02. Love, Honesty & Discipline
03. Nicole feat. Xanton’e Blacq
04. Danger feat. Dukus Alemay
05. The New Age Quarter Intro
06. Scratchin’ My Head
07. Watchin’ The World
08. The Bump
09. The Jazz Quarter Intro
10. International feat. DJ Kofi
11. I Love…
12. Pay Check feat. Lei-an
13. The Authentic Quarter Intro
14. Taking Rap Back
15. The 3 Minute Preview
16. Play
17. The 4th Quarter Outro

Download:

FLAC – Wayshare

320 kbps – Wayshare